Cleo-Robotics Launches Unique 'Donut' Drone

Image: Cleo Robotics

Boston-based start-up, Cleo Robotics, has launched a unique and interesting new drone. This rather odd donut-shaped drone has a lot to offer and there are several good reasons for the unusual drone design. One of the main features is that it is able to operate in areas that do not have GPS. This is a challenge in many environments and a huge advantage for the Drone Dronut X1.

There is a range of applications for a drone such as this. While drones have been popular for many years they are increasingly used for commercial, security, and humanitarian applications, medical use, inspections, agriculture, and a host of other uses.

X1 Specifications

Looking at the basic stats, it is a compact carbon fiber drone with a 5.5-inch diameter and weighing 15 oz. The battery takes 40 minutes to charge and will give you 12 minutes of flight time. It has a Qualcomm Snapdragon processor and is designed for autonomous flight.

For positioning, it uses Light detection and ranging LiDAR. It has LED lights allowing it to fly in dark or low-light environments. It sports a 4k camera. Latency is said to be less than 90 milliseconds.

The Drone Dronut X1 has a two-rotor system. This too is unique as most have 4 or more rotors for stability and control. Cleo has patented a thrust vectoring system that allows for stability and precision. The rotors are enclosed which improves safety as well as durability.

The design is certainly unusual and futuristic, but it works. It is also extremely easy to operate so highly qualified and experienced operators are not needed. It comes with a joystick that simply connects to your smartphone.

No need for GPS

Importantly, it is able to operate in areas where there is no GPS. This has been a major challenge for other drones or UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles). Cleo Robotics explains, "Our drone can truly take unmanned flight where it's never gone before."

This allows for use in crawl spaces, tanks, pressure vessels, and a range of other environments where GPS signals cannot penetrate. There are endless commercial, military, industrial, and other applications. It is also ideal for security and law enforcement.

Founder and CEO of Cleo Robotics, Omar Eleryan, added, “Built to solve what had been thought of as unsolvable technical challenges with ducted fan aerial vehicles, we developed and tested the Dronut platform through rigorous and innovative engineering. We are excited to see the impact that the Dronut X1 will have on the industries that it is designed to serve. Having worked in the oil industry, I experienced the dangers and costs associated with confined space inspections.”

At just under $10,000 it is a fair investment. The benefits are, however, immense. It is safe and efficient allowing for costly, time-consuming, and potentially dangerous jobs to be done quickly and with no risk to life. There are many opportunities for these drones to be utilized and they are sure to be a success.

SOURCE: Cleo Robotics